Murder is a Mystery
by Mrs. Alliah Caffrey
Summary: Neal Caffrey's mother is mysteriously murdered and Neal must scour New York City for clues to find her killer, while Peter, Jones and Diana are trying to find out why she was killed.
1. Chapter 1

Hello Fellow FanFictioners! I am LivingandLovingLife, but you can call me LALL or Living, whichever suits you! This is my third fan-fiction story, but it is my first one for White Collar. **Warning: **There are some OCs in this story, but please don't press the back button! The story will be better than you think!

Now, before I let you read this there are some people who need introducing who made this story absolutely possible. There is my co-writer who goes by the username of **Tilly the Wonder Pony. **Tilly is a good friend of mine who I met on a forum here. She is a big White Collar fan, like me! (Actually, Tilly is the one who got me **hooked **onto White Collar.) My two real-life friends, who's usernames are **BubblezTheBunny **and **Princessfudge44, **who have endlessly heard me rant on about White Collar over and over for these past few months. Without these two, I don't think I would have posted this story at all. In return for pushing me so hard, I made them OCs, who's name will not be revealed! Then there are my two other good friends, **brokenbonez** and **Galt64**. **Galt64** gave me the plot for this story and **brokenbonez** revised this chapter for me!

THANK YOU ALL! I COULDN'T DO THIS WITHOUT YOU GUYS!

Now, enjoy this chapter! And don't forget to review at the end of this chapter!

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Three figures all dressed in black clothing creep into Christine Bennett's apartment at the late hour of 3 am. All three have their choice of weapons in hand; One has a crowbar, another has a bat, and the last one has a gun. Christine Bennett is now sleeping on her white leather sofa, not disturbed by the intruders. Crowbar, decides to wake her victim and she smashes her weapon against a lamp. Christine suddenly wakes up and is instantly frightened. Bat, Crowbar, and Gun, who are now very well hidden behind the China cabinet begin to frighten the elderly woman some more.

Bat began to throw some of the China that was in the cabinet onto the hardwood floors. Christine, never going anywhere unprotected, pulls a bat out from under the sofa and aims a hit at Bat. Bat instantly passes out. Gun and Crowbar take defensive stances, ready to attack.

Bennett, takes a swing at Gun. Gun quickly ducks and hits her in the knee with the butt of the pistol. Christine screams out in pain at the blow, but instantly decides to take another swing. This time, it was aimed at Crowbar. Crowbar moves. The bat hits a vase. Crowbar then cackles evilly. She takes a swing, her metal weapon hit Christine in the spine. Christine falls to the ground with a loud "crack" ringing out, signaling that a bone had broke as she fell, which cause her to scream out in pain again.

'Hopefully someone will hear me..' She thought, seeing as her bat was now feet away from her and her arm was broken. Christine grunts in pain as she moves her unbroken arm and reaches for her bat, but Crowbar gets to the weapon first, breaks it in half, and throws it in the corner.

Crowbar then orders Gun, "Okay, I've had my fun. Dawn, kill her. Now!" Gun, or Dawn, attached a silencer to her gun then cocks it.

"Please, don't do this!" Christine cried out. "I'll give you whatever you want, just please, don't kill me!"

Dawn closes her one eye and aims the gun at her head, one bullet in the chamber, one target to kill. "I'm sorry Christine, it just has to be done" Dawn says, steadying her aim and pulling the trigger. The impact was so quick Christine couldn't even react. The bullet went straight through her head, blood oozing out of her head and splattering on the walls. There was a silent moment in the room, which was interrupted by Crowbar "C'mon lets get going". It was a fact, Christine Bennett was now **dead**.

Crowbar then begins to place someone else's fingerprints on the doorknob, the broken bat, and some were placed on Christine's neck. Dawn, meanwhile, takes the weapons (excluding the bat Christine used) and places them in a duffel-bag. Crowbar finishes planting evidence and then grabs Bat, who is still unconscious, and jumps out of the window with Dawn following in suit.

They were able to get back without being seen. There was no evidence, no suspects that it was them. Maybe that's what they think. But one thing is true, _**it was like this never happened**_.


	2. Chapter 2

Hello again Fellow Fan-Fictioners! I have returned with another chapter! Sorry for the late update, school, work, and my Forums have been occupying me.

I do have some people who need thanking! **brokenbonez, elizabethhadley13, Princessfudge44, and Ale, thank you for being the first four reviewers on my story. **I also want to thank **BubblezTheBunny **for calling me and telling me you loved the first chapter! **Galt64, SolluxStuck, SilentFaith, **for helping me with this chapter.

Before, you read this chapter though, I do want to let you all know that I do have a White Collar forum and I do need more members!

Now, please, enjoy this chapter and don't forget to Review and add this story to your Favorites List! Also, don't forget to add me to your Favorite Authors List!

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The pitter-patter of water falling from the ceiling surrounded the three women. A small wooden table and three silver foldout chairs stood in the middle of the mildew smelling warehouse. Bat was lying on the table, still unconscious. Her head was wrapped in gauges to stop the bleeding. Dawn walked around the room, her hand over her nose to cover the horrid smell. Her clothes were stained with blood. Christine Bennett's blood.

"Katrina, mind telling me why we're here?!" She asked. "It smells really bad and I think I just saw a spider." Dawn whined, watching her friend put on latex gloves.

Katrina rolled her eyes and popped open a floor board. She began to pile weapons inside the secret compartment. "Oh, shut up and grow a spine, Dawn. You're twenty-eight years old. You know places have smells and you just killed a woman. Being afraid of spiders seems kinda ridiculous now."

The blonde woman looked at her dark-haired friend as if she was insulted. "Well then. I'm gonna go see if Natalia is okay." She then walked over to the dark haired girl lying on the table and then began to zone out into her own thoughts.

**_Why did I kill her? Was killing her really worth it? Was killing a woman who did absolutely nothing but be nice to me deserve to get killed because my own life on the line? What happens if we get caught? I can't get caught. I can't. But then again, I can't fail Katrina, Natalia, or Tanner. Can I? So there is no way out of this. Right?_** Dawn thought to herself.

**_Right?_**

"Dawn...? DAWN!" Katrina yelled, waving a glove-free hand in her friends face. The gloves were now off and the floorboard was back in it's original place.

"What?" Dawn asked, finally returning to reality.

"It's time to go. Tanner's waiting for us in the back. Help me carry Natalia." Dawn then nodded to her friends request and helped pick up the girl that was still passed out.

_As they always say: Once you get in, there is no way out._

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Neal walked through the front door of the Burkes' home. It was roughly around 7:30 and Neal was walking home when Peter left him a voice mail. A distressed voice mail

"Peter? Elizabeth?" He called out, closing the door and setting his fedora on the wooden coat rack.

"In here Neal!" Elizabeth and Peter replied simultaneously.

"What's so important that I had to come here? I was on my way home when I got your message. You sounded panicked. Is everything okay?" Neal stepped into the dining room, seeing both of the Burke's sitting at the dining room table; Elizabeth was sitting ever so neatly, with her cup of tea while Peter sat with his hands covering his face, case files piled messily next to the untouched cup of coffee.

"You may want to sit down when you hear this..." Peter finally answered, moving his hands from his face and he leaned back in his chair, letting his hands fall into his lap. Neal sat down as suggested, taking off his hat and setting it on the back of the chair.

"Peter, what's wrong?" Neal asked, seeing the distressed expression on his best friends' face.

"Neal, what I am about to say may shock you." He sighed, searching for the right words to say. Elizabeth looked back and forth between Peter to Neal. There was an uncomfortable silence until Peter's deep voice broke it.

"...Your mother was found dead in her apartment this morning." He said as calmly as he could, looking directly at Neal.

Neal just sat in his chair silently. Not moving and almost near to not breathing. "...Wha-How?" Elizabeth came up next to him and rubbed his back soothingly.

"The medical examiner says it was a homicide." He answered, before reaching for the case files and sliding it over to him. "There are pictures in that file... You don't have to look in there if you don't want to." Neal opened them anyways, ignoring Peter. His eyes widened in shock as he looked through the several photos of his mothers' corpse.

"Who...who would do this?" Neal wondered, the burning feeling of tears being created in his eyes. "She ... She was with WitSec so she could be protected."

Peter sighed and handed him the other case file. "That woman right there...Her prints were all over the scene. Jones and Diana are getting her information ready at the bureau for her to go to prison."

He opened the case file. "Let me see her in person." Neal demanded. "I want to see her, face-to-face."

"I don't think that's a good idea, Neal..." Peter protested.

"Peter, please." Neal looked up at the man with his blue eyes.

Peter sighed heavily. "Fine. I'll let you see her."

The con-man nodded his head, getting out of his seat and putting his hat back on. "Let's go." The agent gave his wife a kiss on the cheek before grabbing his jacket and following the suave con-man out the door.

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That's the end! Make sure to review at the end and tell me how this chapter was!


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